The Fire Still Burns
by Mountain King
Summary: Set in the Babylon 5 spin off Legend Of The Rangers and crossed over with the Doctor who universe. A young woman begins her exploration of the universe by picking up the family buisness of saving civilisations and running. A lot of running
1. Introduction and teaser

The Fire Still Burns  
Introduction and teaser

Introduction:-

You will, I hope, forgive me for this one. It's the sort of idea one has after watching two shows in a row when both have glaring big flaws but a good idea at the heart of them.

Legend of the Rangers is a story of good scope and a few solid ideas. A bit of supernatural horror and a few gags that made B5 so watchable and you should have a sure fire hit. Only two problems (well three if you count the VR weapons system but I'm afraid I've blocked that out for the sake of my sanity). The first problem was I've seen better acting on early Blake's Seven (infamous because viewers actually sent in money to pay for one member to get acting lessons!). The second was a stupid time slot when it was first shown in the U.S. that practically killed it stone dead.

For those of you who don't know Legend Of The Rangers was the second attempt to do a spin-off from the classic Babylon 5 show. Like it's predecessor (Crusade, that is now held up as a example of why a studio should have NOTHING to do with production but that's another story all together) it failed. Only this time at the first hurdle. Recently I finally got it on DVD and have now seen it.

The other show was an episode of Doctor Who. It had such promise and I could accept the first leap (taken in the first three minuets and possibly the worst way to introduce a supporting character) I can take the fact that what should have been a belting two part-er was gutted to become a single quick and lazy character introduction. In fact I could also take the silly seven day - thousands of generations garbage. But not all together, I mean come the hell on!

Anyway on with the show but first as always disclaimer

* * *

Disclaimer

I have wrote this for no profit or financial gain. It's just for fun and to exercise my brain and my fingers writing for the fun of it. All characters are owned by their respective creators.

* * *

Teaser

'It's been a week since we dropped off ambassador G'Kar,' David said to his Minbari friend. 'About time something went wrong.'

Dulann grinned as he kept pace with him. 'Sometimes I wonder what I would do without your boundless optimism close at hand. Perhaps a quiet life in temple, or maybe just a long, but dull, existence.'

David skidded to a halt outside the bridge door and kicked it, no one had figured out how to fix the access panel yet. 'I know, great isn't it!' he sarcastically replied before barging in on the bridge. 'What is it Kit?

'We've picked up a tail Captain.' the helms man looked up. 'I thought I saw something a few hours ago on the edge of sensors. When we had that pulse from the engines and lost power...'

'Someone's following us on the extreme edge of sensors, Why didn't you tell me?' David sat in his chair at the head of the command table.

'I thought it was just another glitch. We just lost power for a moment again and I got a better look.' he punched up the hologram in the middle of the table. The red glow of hyperspace flickered up. A black and blue five pointed star shifted and warped as it slid into view before snapping back.

David bit back a curse before tuning on his console and bringing up a second hologram. 'Right, it's probably following us until we drop out of hyperspace. Or it's made a guess as to where we're going and is shadowing so we can't get out of it.' He quickly thought over what he knew about the Hand.

A race supposedly older than any other discovered, banished by another ancient race and only now making a return. These killer blue snow flakes had more than a few tricks up their sleeves and, as far as he could tell, more weapons than sense. Another problem was the Liandra was no match for one without luck, skill and a fair amount of guile.

'What the hell, I was always lucky with those.' he said to himself before looking at the second image. 'The nearest base is Proxima 3. There is supposed to be at least four White Stars at any one time. More importantly a space dock.' he addressed the crew. ' I think a side trip might be in order.'

David tapped the internal comms. 'Na'Feel, the problems we're having with the drive. How bad is it?'

'They're fine. It's just a case of balancing the new power cells they installed back on Minbar. It's fine.' She bluffed.

'You don't understand, Na'Feel. We're being followed and we need a reason to pay a visit to Proxima 3. Faulty engines and little TLC might be a good enough reason.'

There was a pause 'Well... We could do with some time powered down. There's a few things I should have a look at. General maintenance and the like, these would go a lot quicker with the equipment of a full starbase.'

She had got it. 'Good. Thanks Na'Feel, Can you keep the power twitching for a while too?'

'That won't be too difficult.' She answered with a laugh in her voice.

David covered his grin and cut the internal comms before opening a standard channel to Proxima. 'Proxima 3, this is the Ranger ship Liandra on deep patrol.'

The hologram spluttered and flickered for a moment and finally showed a Minbari warrior cast female. Behind her David could see the bridge of a White Star. 'Liandra, you're Captain David Martel. The Ranger who once ran from battle.'

'I wouldn't call it running, more like survived.' His little story seemed to have made the rounds.

'You also saved a group of alliance representatives from a failed mission and proved yourself to the high council after your disgrace. Yes, your story has travelled almost as far as you have. What can we do for you.'

'If you've hard of me you must have heard about the ship I'm commanding. Well its no exaggeration, we're passing through this sector and our main power system is acting up. We're heading your way to fix what we can. Thought I'd give you a heads up.'

She nodded. 'Understood, I will inform the spaceport of your arrival. Shock-na Arann of White Star 64, out.' David nodded and looked back at the main hologram. The recording of the Hand's ship frozen in place. 'What do you want?'

* * *

She looked around the spaceport in wonder. The very first thing she did when leaving the planet in her little shuttle was to crash head first into a wormhole. She didn't know what it was but guessed that it was why the builders had come to the planet in the first place. Tumbling through space and time she felt as if her head was going to explode, oh the things she had seen.

Worlds spinning out of the darkness. Invisible lines of destiny pulling backwards and forwards with the force of creation. Stars spinning out of cold nebulas, clouds of gas and plasma catching space itself on fire. This was why her father travelled the wonder and the majesty of all this. She couldn't turn her back on it.

Being spat out of the big green swirly thing was fun, at least she hoped it was. If she was honest with herself couldn't remember. All she could remember was waking up in space, with nothing but distant stars surrounding her.

Then there was a pull. Inside her but it was almost as if she could see it. Out there in the distance a dull brown world. Horribly ugly and spinning around one of those stars she could only just see. She might have been programmed with all the latest fighting skills and abilities but in reality she was only just a child. Like all children across the universe she was curious and to a point fearless.

Pointing her little ship head on for the world she set off.

Now here she was. With more people, things and shapes than she had ever thought possible. Only one or two problems. First; she had absolutely no idea where to go now. The other was a lot simpler; find out what the dozen or so people in green and black uniforms and guns wanted with her.

'Stand down! Identify yourself and what you're doing here' The one with the smaller, silver, handgun shouted.

A broad grin sprang across her face for no reason, oh this looked like fun. 'Hi I'm Jenny. I'm kinda looking for me dad. You haven't seeing him have you?'

End teaser


	2. Chapter 1

The Fire Still Burns  
Chapter 1

Authors note:-  
This is a "companion piece" (no pun intended) to my other Doctor Who B-5 crossover:- Songs Of Travellers In The Night. Not a direct sequel but it exists in the same continuity.

Also there was a slight problem early on when this story somehow found it's way into the Buffy X-Overs Section. I am sorry about that but there is no Buffy in this story (although it did give me the idea for this one's sequel, if I think it deserves one)

* * *

David felt the Liandra come out of hyperspace. Well not so much feel as had to duck to avoid the pylon that jumped out of it's housing above his head. 'I thought they were supposed to have fixed all this.' Sarah complained from her diagnostic console, casting a look at the metal beam that had just missed her.

'Well it was a major re-fit, and this is the shake down cruse.'

'Shake "apart" cruse is a better name for it.' she grumbled and David had to agree. The problem was a great deal of the new parts, from the newly re-installed jump drive to the reinforced internal structure, had come from the latest generation of ships. Simply because they had run out of stock parts for the Liandra. Being the last of it's class and hopelessly out of date did that.

The twenty year old ship was never built as a combat or cargo ship. More a oversized transport, designed to carry Rangers to worlds across the Rim and get them out of a situation. At the time through a combination of running and gunning, but today it was out classed by any passing warship with an axe to grind.

The only reason it was still flying was because there wasn't enough White Stars being built for the amount of Ranger trainees. Less said about the so called curse and the ghosts of the dead crew still haunting the ship the better. Secretly David couldn't be happier with his ship.

Proxima 3 had looked a lot worse in it's history. Not as bad as his ship but still. The concentrated bombing campaign from former President Clark had left a nasty legacy. The rebuild was still going on and many of the surviving colonists still distrusted Earth Alliance ships. They had insisted that the Galactic Alliance serve as security, it was agreed and this left the Earth colony constantly patrolled by the White Star wing in the area.

There were rumours of Ranger training sites and even construction yards for new ships on the planet. While it was true that a good portion of the Valen's equipment had come there the world was too busy trying to become self sustaining to spend time building ships. For Ranger training, on the other hand, it was the second biggest site outside of Minbar.

Malcolm Bridges looked up at the hologram. 'Ahh its good to be back.'

'Oh that's right. You were one of the first trainees here weren't you.' Sarah said

Malcolm nodded. 'I completed my basic down there, transferred to Minbar when I was chosen for advanced infiltration instruction.'

'Well then you know all the best haunts, and you're buying.' David grinned. 'Kip, any sign of out pursuer?'

The pilot glanced at his instruments. 'No, and we're well within launch range of Proxima. If they were going to attack now wouldn't be a good time.'

'They could be just shadowing us?' Malcolm supplied. 'Told not to act until later.'

'I'm not so sure about that. We were a perfect target, why did they not just jump us in hyperspace. We know they're fast enough to catch up even if we were at full power. I don't think they just want revenge. It is far more likely they wish to ambush us away from our support.' Dulann said gravely. 'These Hand do not seem to think the way we do. They are powerful enough to attack but do not. There actions are unknown yet driven, we should be concerned.'

'Thank you for those oh so comforting thoughts Dulann.' David sighed before hitting the ship's inter comm. 'Na'Feel, give me full power to engines. Last thing I want is our new friends to jump right on top of us.'

'Yes sir.' she called back and the ship lurched again. 'That's the best I can give you.'

'Good enough.' David sighed.

* * *

Jenny shifted uncomfortably on the plastic seat It was hard and felt like it was made for a Hath twice her size. She had decided it was better to tell the truth now, rather than have to make up a lie that could be found out.

Her warrior training had catalogued at least six different ways to brake out of there. Only one involved killing anyone but she didn't even consider it. Jenny wanted to believe it was her Father's disappointment that kept her from taking a life but it was something else. She remembered that worm of discomfort that settled in her gut when she pointed her gun. The shiver of revulsion that ran up her arms. To take her mind off it Jenny looked at the two guards in dark brown uniforms and stubby silver guns. 'What are those?' she asked.

'This?' One of them answered turning it around in his hands. 'It's a PPG. Haven't you seen one before?'

'No.' she shrugged. 'Should I have?' The two of them looked at each other before the door opened and the man who questioned her on landing came through. He didn't look at her, only went behind a desk that sat in front of four blank screens. Tapping a few buttons the screens came on and showed her from different angles.

'Right, Jenny is it? We need to talk.' She wasn't listening. Too busy looking for the little cameras. He banged his desk to get her attention. 'That's better. I'm Commander Stoney, Proxima 3 spaceport security.' He stopped and looked at her, Jenny recognised he was evaluating her. She gave him a friendly smile.

Commander Stoney blinked quickly. 'Do you know why your here?'

'Because you want to talk to me?' She guessed hopefully. He just opened his mouth before closing it and shaking his head.

Standing up he came around the desk. 'Lets start at the beginning. This is Earth colony Proxima 3. You came here on what at best guess is a mid range shuttle. That means you had to have come from a ship that wasn't that far away. Where is it?'

'The planet Messanine. Why?'

'You ship is on the planet Messanine?' he asked back sarcastically. 'I see. Can you tell me where that is?'

'No, I don't know. I fell though this big swirly thing and when I fell back out I was close to here.' Jenny explained. He just looked at her, she guessed he was trying to decide whether she was a lying or not. After a few moments the computer behind him bleeped.

The Commander grinned. 'Just in time. Remember that arch you came through when you entered the security building?' Jenny just nodded. 'It was a scanner, while you've been sat in here the computer has ran the readings through the Earth database. You know that little Identicard you threw away so we couldn't find out who you were? There's a back up copy on that database. So we can stop playing games now.' he lent back and hit a button.

'I don't know what an Identicard is, I've never had one.' Jenny explained simply.

'Computer, identify subject.' He asked the celling, Jenny looked up and it answered in a woman's voice;

'No match found. Unknown.'

This wasn't what the Commander was expecting. 'What do you mean unknown. Expand.'

'Subject; Unidentified. Planet of origin; Unknown. Species; Unknown. No data available on subject.'

Commander Stoney looked back at her with open shock. 'Could she be a half-breed?' Jenny bristled at that, she didn't like the sound of it.

'Half-Breed?' she repeated indignantly.

'Sorry. Computer, is there any indication that she is a descendant off two, or even more, known species?' he asked again. Jenny thought that was a better way to say it. They waited a few moments and the Commander began to get impatient.

'Analysis complete. Negative. Unknown species confirmed.'

'My Father said I was a like him. A Time Lord. Does that help?' She asked the mysterious computer but it didn't answer. 'I guess not.' she said to herself.

Stoney just frowned at her. 'No record, unknown species. We don't know who or what you are and I don't have the authority for this sort of thing.'

'Oh, so what happens now?' she didn't like the way the frown was stuck there.

'There's been talk recently, rumours. Raiders are getting bolder, unknown aliens are attacking the outer worlds and there is a lot of confusion around here about independence and how Mars is handling it. So your either just one more problem or a spy and I don't know which.'

'I'm not a spy, I'm just... Travelling. I mean I haven't seen very much but what I have is just fantastic.' A smile came from nowhere. 'I'm learning so much just being here. Who are these other worlds? And what's so important about independence?'

'That's a long story, and if you were a spy you'd be a lot more subtle about learning it.' He stood up and walked past her, Jenny had to crane her neck around to follow him. 'Right, I have to talk with the Governor about this. He'll want to talk with the Ranger's representative who will want to talk with the Galactic Alliance. This could take a long while and I can't lock you up for that long in case your telling the truth and I spark off a major incident.'

'You're in trouble aren't you?' Jenny guessed.

'Between a rock and a hard place.' he admitted. 'I have to do something, house arrest is the best option.'

'What's that?'

'Well in this case we've already moved your shuttle off the landing pad. You'll be under constant guard and not permitted to leave the immediate vicinity. That is until we figure out what to do with you.'

* * *

Dulann felt the ship land gently, which was a change. Kit looked up and smiled. 'That's the thing with old ships. Once you get the feel of them they behave perfectly.'

'I will never understand humans' the Minbari said to his captain and friend. 'You always want to attach personalities to ships and objects. You can not accept that it is simply a vessel used for transport.' the lights flickered. 'A slow, outdated and under powered one at that.'

'Shh, she'll hear you.' David joked before patting his console like a beloved pet. 'There there the nasty man didn't mean to hurt your feelings.' the lights brightened up slightly.

'Okay that was freaky, you guy's sure there isn't a bit of organic technology in here?' Sarah wasn't joking.

David concurred with her; 'I'm not so positive anymore. But let's leave her be for the time being.' The bridge crew beat a hasty retreat down the seemingly endless corridors and eventually outside.

Already out there was Na'Feel, the Narn woman was busy under the ship checking for more cracks in the hull. 'How's it looking?' David shouted over the machinery and service vehicles approaching.

'No problem sir. Everything's working fine.' she pulled herself out from a landing gear assembly that promptly fell out. The ship then began leaning, slightly, to one side.

David just hung his head. 'Na'Feel, I'm not going to kick you off the ship if everything's not working right. In fact I'd rather know what was wrong now so I don't have to find out later.'

'Captain, I really don't think you want me to that honest with you. If it's important I'll tell you.'

'Good, thanks.'

'... About that. The guns, they're not working.' She finished lamely

This got Sarah's attention. 'What do you mean not working, I ran a check not five minutes ago and they were fine.'

'Urm, no they're not. The diagnostic systems locked, the whole weapons array fused during a power spike. It froze the diagnostics and pretty much burnt out every power distributor on the fourth deck.' She winced. 'And a few on the second. You see we replaced the power plant with one from a second generation White Star. It's just too powerful for the Liandra to handle.'

David nodded sagely before saying; 'See what you can do about the power situation first then get to work on the weapons. I get the feeling we'll be needing them.'

Dulann agreed, as much as it pained him to. He wasn't a violent man and disliked having to resort to it, not that he wouldn't when the occasion warranted it.

Then his sixth sense kicked in. Being slightly telepathic Dulann could, for lack of a better word, sense when someone was watching him. Talking with others he knew this wasn't strictly limited to telepaths but he could, from all accounts, sense it much more keenly. Looking around he saw who it was.

A young looking human girl in a green top and black trousers. Her sunny blonde hair matching her disposition. She was working on a small shuttle ship that had been towed to the edge of the landing area. With a sudden start he realised she wasn't human before she waved happily to him and got back to work.

'Didn't think she was your type.' David clapped him on his shoulder 'Go on, looks like where going to be here a while

'Who is she?' Dulann asked no one in particular.

'We don't know. Landed shortly before you came through the jumpgate. We can't find any record of her race anywhere.' A man in Earth Alliance security announced, just to his right a minbari in full Ranger uniform walked with him.

'Ranger Lutran, Official emissary to Proxima Three. The Minbari introduced himself. 'This is Commander Stoney, head of spaceport security.'

David looked at the two of them. 'I thought Earth Alliance officers were distrusted down here?'

Stoney nodded. 'We are, but not all of us fought for Clark. Myself and my men resigned during the bombings. Ended up in the Proxima Resistance, when the fighting ended we hadn't anywhere to go. Fortunately the brass back on Earth didn't like the idea of an all Ranger defence force for a Earth colony.

'We re-enlisted and were drafted as spaceport and council security. We work in partnership with you Rangers across the planet and keep up-to-date with what's going on out there.'

Dulann was able to take his attention from the girl and nod. 'It is good to know that such work is possible.'

David agreed. 'Yes it is, unfortunately we have a problem and our ship falling to pieces is just part of it. I need to talk with both of you and Shock-na Arann in person and we need it to be done quietly.'

David snapped his fingers 'I know, tell her I've got that money I owe her from the last time she beat me at the card table and that I'm going to give it to her. That should sound enough alarm bells to get her down here.'

Lutran glanced at the girl. 'You think there are spy's on the planet?'

'I don't think so, at least not yet. There's no way they could have known we were coming here, still no point in taking chances.'

Dulann just looked over at the girl. She had opened what looked to be a ration pack in one hand and was examining a part from her ship in another. Yes it was possible she was a Hand operative but his senses told him she wasn't.

* * *

David watched as Shock-na Arann entered the briefing room. With typical efficiency she announced that the two of them had never met before the transmission he had sent. She then logically reasoned why he would use such a deception and asked quite pointedly what could be so important and secretive that they could not even risk a private transmission.

David gestured for her to sit down. 'I know you've heard about what happened to the Valen.' he turned to Lutran. 'And I guess so have you but lets re-cap.

'There's been some recent attacks on the outlying Alliance worlds. Who ever they are leave no trace or record. The Valen and Liandra were escorting a group of alliance representatives to an archaeological dig site. Someone had found evidence that these attacks were from a race that was banished form our reality. Before the Vorlons or Shadows had developed space flight.' That last bit had gotten everyone's attention.

'But the First Ones moved on from this region of space at the end of the second Shadow War.' Lutran announced. 'If there are no First Ones left how can we stop them?'

'With luck, skill and working together. It worked during the Shadow War it might work now. Only problem is we don't know enough about them. The dig was destroyed, along with the Valen. I was able to save the representatives and with a lot of luck destroy two ships and learn a little bit about them.

'They are called The Hand, what's out there are just their servants. I was able to win because I had something they wanted and they underestimated me and my ship. They won't do that again.'

'So your mission is to inform Alliance bases in person,' the Commander said sitting back. 'I take it they had a spy on your ship, that's what they wanted and that's how you got your information.'

'Close. Actually All information on The Hand is classified and I shouldn't be telling you. but they followed us here.'

This got everyone to their feet. 'What?' You lead them right to us?' Arann almost shouted.

'I didn't have a choice,' David defended his actions. 'They were shadowing my ship. My weapons are fused and half the systems need to be re-calibrated. It's a miracle the Liandra's flying at all. Besides that, so far, The Hand have gone out of their way to keep themselves out of the spotlight. It would take an all out attack to take on Proxima 3's defences.

'I can't stay here forever but with the repairs I have time to think up a new plan.'

The Commander sank back down into his chair. 'How certain are you that they could not know you were coming here?'

'I didn't know until five minuets before I jumped in system.'

'Our guest landed about the same time. Could be coincidence, what do these servants look like?'

'Big black cloaks, shiny horn like things on there shoulders. At least the ones I've seen.' David replied.

Dulann stepped out of the shadows. 'I do not believe she is an operative of The Hand. Her soul is both strength and innocence.'

'Dulann is slightly telepathic, he sometimes gets insights into things and people others don't.' David explained. 'To tell the truth I never believed him, but wherever he gets them from his hunches are usually right.'

* * *

Just out of sensor range a small jump point opened, a shifting blue black ship in the shape of a five pointed star jumped back into normal space. Its many black struts on it's underside began moving in a strange pattern that quickly took shape. Like a spider weaving a cocoon to entomb a fly it built a small semi-translucent pod.

Spinning and orientating itself to point it's belly at the distant planet the deadly ship realised it's seed. A seed that quickly fell toward Proxima 3, shimming gently before vanishing like a stone sliding into water.

* * *

Watching this unfold a tiny black camera didn't dare activate its powerful but small thruster. It's advanced AI knew above all it could not be detected and sent a concentrated transmission to the hiding place of it's masters.

In a stark room of soft grey light a small glass globe glowed and replayed the scene. A being that could have once been called human but not any longer, cowed from head to toe in a black robe, watched. On the second viewing he hung his head and reached for his staff which obediently flew to his hand.

With a grave voice he spoke to the staff; 'I must see the others, call them to me.' Then, picking up his globe, the figure left the room. It's soft lighting extinguishing behind him.

End Chapter 1

Authors note  
This chapter should be re named "Exposition" but at least everyone's up to date with Legend of the Rangers. Oh, can anyone guess who our new guest character is?


	3. Chapter 2

The Fire Still Burns  
Chapter 2

Dulann nodded to the earth Alliance Guard who nodded back. Across the almost brand new spaceport sat two ships. The first was the Liandra, listing to one side it looked sorry for itself. The small, ugly, old ship look positively pretty compared to the small metal lump beside it. The young woman, who had arrived on what looked like a mismatched pile of boxes, was busy inside the single massive engine of her small ship. 'Hello?' he ventured as he approached.

He had volunteered to find out what he could from the young woman and see if she was a spy. It was unlikely but no one knew much about the Hand or their operatives. It was a risk but Dulann trusted his senses. She was something else, what else he didn't know.

The girl pulled herself out. 'Oh hello, sorry I was just seeing how everything worked in there.' She picked up a thick book that was lying face down on the ground and started flicking through it. She was about two third of the way through .

'I am Dulann, a Ranger.' he introduced himself

'Oh I saw you earlier.' she absently rubbed the back of her head, as if feeling for her own head-bone. 'Don't take this the wrong way but err.'

'I'm Minbari, it's normal for us. And you're?'

'Oh I'm Jenny. It's nice to meet you I've never met a Minbari before.' she offered a hand and Dulann shook it

'This might sound odd but I don't think your human are you?'

She shrugged 'I don't know. Dad didn't make much sense when he tried to tell me. I know I'm not Human or Hath.' She ran a hand through her hair. 'This says I'm not Minbari. Oh sorry if...'

'It's nothing. I'll let you know if you say something like that.' Dulann thought he had heard of

'Thanks. You couldn't help me could you?'

Dulann looked at what she was doing, it looked like she was taking her shuttle apart and putting it back together again. He asked if that was what she was doing and why.

'Kind of.' She answered and waved the book. 'It got boring just sitting in there, so I read this thing.'

He looked again at how far she had gotten through the manual and was impressed. 'I thought you got here an hour or so ago?'

'I've read it twice.' She said defensively. 'I'm just going through it slowly this time.' Dulann just blinked at her.

'Okay, that's either a very silly lie or...' he left the sentence hanging. the Blonde woman just tilted her head

'I'm not lying, so or what? Dulann could tell she wasn't but a manual that thick, twice in less than two hours. She had to be the fastest reader he had ever met.

'Nothing, Just a bit quick is all. Never mind.' She nodded at that

'You know anything about ships?' Jenny ventured.

Dulann just shook his head. 'Not my speciality. Na'feel, our ships chief mechanic, is working on ours though.'

'Oh. Guess she'll be busy then.' she laughed a little bit That was an understatement, 'You couldn't help me. I'm just checking everything out and making sure I know how it all works.'

'As long as you don't mind a few questions while we're working.'

'Sure, what do you want me to ask you?' Dulann looked at her sharply before seeing Jenny grin at him and chuckle.

* * *

David tried to straighten out in his ridiculously small cot. He couldn't but did succeed in sliding further off one side thanks to the slope the whole ship suffered from. There were times that his ships total lack of working equipment was a endearing trait, that the cramped corridors and random burn outs could be passed off as "character" for the old girl. As soon as it began to interfere with his sleep something had to be done.

In the morning, because he' be dammed if he didn't get any sleep tonight. He closed his eyes and tried again o get comfortable.

'This truly is a wretched little craft, I can see why you like it.' An urban English voice came out of the darkness of the room.

David was able to keep the shock from his voice as he asked; 'Who's there?'

'Oh my apologies of course. We haven't been introduced.' A low white light quickly spread across the room, projected from the top of a long black staff. It was being held by a man in a rather impressive black hooded cloak. The man under the cloak threw back his hood with a free hand. He was completely bald, human looking with two piercing blue eyes. 'My name is Galen and you, David Martell Shok-na of the Anla'shok, are in big trouble.'

'Yeah I usually am.' David agreed, an operative of the Hand in his quarters. It was times like this he was glad he slept with his fighting pike by his side. Rolling to one side, offering his back to the intruder he slowly reached for the hidden weapon. 'So what have I done this time. Forgotten to return a library crystal, or was it blowing two of you friends ships into star matter. Because, to be honest, I'd be more worried about the crystal.' He knew he could risk it, if this guy wanted him dead he would have done so already. David wrapped his hand around where he knew his pike was, all he gripped was empty air.

'As would I.' The man, Galen replied. 'I hear the Minbari are very strict about that sort of thing. Oh were you looking for this.' There was a familiar sound and David spun around. Galen had his pike in one hand and his own staff in the other. 'I don't think it would have done much good but it would have been fun to see you find a way to swing it in a room like this.'

'Why don't we take this out side then, make a proper fight of it.' David threw his legs up and around before jumping to his feet in one smooth motion.

'I'm not here to fight, but if you want more room I can hardly argue with that.' David had no idea how he did it. one moment the were standing inside his quarters the next all the walls flew back and far away into the distance, leaving the two of them standing on top of the Liandra's nose. The whole spaceport terminal and then the colony before them. 'There is something about the open sky at night. Both Soothing and freighting. Fascinating and terrifying. And for those of us who know what stalks between those pinpricks of light, nightmares just waiting to come true.'

The man had looked up to the clear night sky and even for the briefest of moments he looked... the only word David had for it was concerned 'Who... You're a Technomage.' He recognised them from the legends he had heard as a child.

Galen looked back to him with a slight smile. 'You've heard of my people. Then you know how grave a matter this is.'

'To get a personal visit from a Technomage, yeah that's pretty grave. I used to hear about all sorts of legends and fables. They became a fascination of mine and I heard quite a bit about you guys.'

'Legends have a life span all of their own. Even one's as old as the stars themselves have heard stories of before them. Stories of the great hand that wished to strangle the light from suns. It is said they are living entropy, whose goal is to do nothing more than to crush. Like a great fist, crying out from the heavens to ground all before it unto dust.'

'The Hand. We know about them.'

Galen threw back his head and laughed. 'Ohh not the right word. You know of them, not about them. But they do not know that, nor do they care. They are creatures of revenge and guile, brutal efficiency married to subtle manipulation. The Hand, as you call them, often force you into the position they want you in before overwhelming you.

'Tell me,' the Technomage continued. 'if you know so much about my people do you know of our power of prophecy.' Galen changed the subject so quickly David was lost

'What?'

'We can you know, see the future. After a fashion of course. Predictions of probabilities, random chance no more than a string of numbers. Numbers we read and numbers we fold until we can see through them and into what may be. We saw the coming of the Hand. Long before the last war of the Shadows and Vorlons we knew that one day those that their ancestors defeated would return. Return to a Universe that had forgotten them.

'With their ancient rivals long dead and those that imprisoned them gone The hand would be left with two options. Stay here and destroy or follow their despised enemies before the trail went cold.'

David saw a flaw in that and said so; 'So why didn't they follow them? If they hated them so much and the trail could go cold as you said...'

Galen looked at him with those blue eyes, both burning like blue dwarf suns. 'Because, David Martell, they didn't want to leave a threat behind them. They were testing you. Testing the Alliance. If you were as primitive as they expected then you were no problem. You showed them that you don't need technology. That the people left in this galaxy can be dangerous through other means. Older means. The very means said to have cast them out in the first place.'

'Out out of where?'

'Existence. The Ancient ones opened a door into the Howling Void. The emptiness between here and elsewhere. There the Hand were trapped, forever imprisoned to look inward at what they had lost, until recently.'

David nodded; 'They got out, and I've given them all the proof they need to attack us. But why tell me all this?'

'They are hunting you, As we speak. They want to know what you know. They want to know who knows what you know. Most of all they want to know if it was your individual luck or trained skill that allowed you to win against two of their operatives.'

'And telling me all this has just made you a target if they find and do capture me. Or hadn't you thought of that?' David accused. If his was honest he was worried. If this Technomage was telling the truth he might have just doomed the entire Alliance.

'I told you because this is what I do. I enjoy reviling myself and my peoples abilities to lucky fools who are going to be captured and tortured for information. I particularly enjoy endangering my entire people on a whim. No, in fact I'm telling you all this because in all things there is chance.'

'Chance?'

'Yes. A long shot, the point in a game where you cross your fingers and roll a play to lady luck. There are three options ahead of us. The first is you and your ship captured, but you have already told many of your adventure. Word is spreading like wildfire. Like bad news, rumour can travel even faster than the speed of light. The inevitable collusion being galactic war.

'Second option. The option my people believe is the best. Your ship, as it is, has an accident at the jump point. The explosion will be instant and total. Any people that gives one of their best captains a ship this impressive are no real threat and the Hand move on, eventually.' Galen smiled lopsidedly

David had very little to smile about and tried to grab the man by his cape. instead his hands passed right through him. 'The Third option.' Galen continued absently. 'is mine. The Hand will not risk a major conflict with the chance of the First Ones returning midway through. If you prove that the Alliance is too big a fight right now they will leave. Chase the First Ones across existence rather than face the unlimited number of younger races. Prove that the Alliance is the more powerful stronger by numbers and drive. The Hand will attack the weaker of the two first. Giving your people time to prepare.'

'The complete opposite of what you've told me so far.' David reasoned. 'You can't be certain we'll win so I'm betting your going both ways. Second and third, If we don't pull this off; Kaboom.'

Galen nodded. 'As you say kaboom. Fortune favours the bold and those willing to bet high must also be willing to lose.'

'In this case we lose.'

'Yep that's about it.' David shook his head and looked out into the colony. It was actually a good view, David could see the new buildings being built further back. Like a wave that started where he stood and was still rolling. 'I like your solution better, how long a shot is it?' no answer. 'Galen?' David turned to look at the Technomage but couldn't see him anywhere.

* * *

Another person he couldn't see was Jenny, hidden in the shadow of her shuttle. Too far away to hear what was being said but she could see what had passed between them. As the ships commander walked back across the top of his craft Jenny also looked up into the sky.

Somewhere out there was her answers. So many questions that she didn't know to ask. A universe unknown, there was so much out there and she was here. She looked again at the ship next to her shuttle. The man on the top of it had found a hatch and was climbing inside. Even more questions, some times she wondered if there was anything else in life.

Then Jenny smiled. Running. Here she was not even a week old and she was running. She wanted to be here learning answers she wanted to be over there discovering questions. Just perhaps she was running too much. Maybe there was one thing better. Something her father and his friend had shown her. Slowing down for a moment and thinking.

With the smile in place she sat and looked at the ship. She knew just how to help using her brain.

* * *

Falling through the atmosphere burnt off the seed pods protective coating, no one saw it as the fiery spark thudded into the ground. In the cooling crater a small pod, no bigger than a mans head, steamed. Deep inside the genetic coding awoke, the egg cracked and a thick soup seeped into the ground.

What arose a scant two hours later was indescribable. A nightmare of slime, tentacles hair and weeping growths. It slithered/strutted out of its birthing pit and moved towards the small city.

It moved silently, slobbering all the way. It could sense that the city was guarded, that some one was watching and as it got closer it saw it's first victim. A human the genetic knowledge imbedded in its very make up told it. The human looked this way and that and then right at it, unseeing.

There are things so horrible, so revolting, that the mind of just about any being rejects the possibility of their existence. To accept them would mean madness, to see the worlds through eyes unclouded by reason. This creature was one such thing.

In the end the human never knew what happened and no one saw a thing as, in plain sight, they were eaten alive.

The creature stretched its senses out, through the mind it had just eaten. Absorbing knowledge and information it found its task in the distance. The place where the flying things came. It's genetic programming took over and it slid into the city, it's goal only know to itself.

End chapter 2

* * *

Authors note  
Yes, the pod launched was a sort of living bio-weapon. Specifically designed to exploit the self-protective nature of the brain. I spent some time coming up with a way to hide this thing. The obvious was to make it invisible but that's hyper-impossible and then you've got to ask how original was that. Another idea was that it became a member of the Liandra's crew, once again an overused plot trick that has tension but little originality.


	4. Chapter 3

The Fire Still Burns  
Chapter 3

Authors note:-  
Half way through writing this chapter I had an idea. The sort of idea you just know has to be written. Oh what I have planned...!

* * *

Genetic programming is sometimes a very useful thing. More often than not, however, there are problems. Genetic drift, random mutation, even evolution on a limited scale can have drastic effects. Add the method of delivery, namely deep range lunching of a first stage seeing process, and you have a whole other set of problems. If the base material adsorbed information from a higher predator at the wrong time the instincts could become infused into the whole.

This was part of the reason why the Bio-Weapon was confused. The Weapon was built by The Hand as a planetary killer. To infiltrate a world and literally eat all its inhabitants. It was a secondary objective to isolate communication and engage in recon. The operatives were not truly adept at reprogramming hyper-complex DNA strands and without a member of the Hand to guide them they made a couple of mistakes.

The first was it's supposed telepathic beacon, the single way it had to communicate with the Ship that launched its seed. They wanted finer control over it so ramping up it's abilities seemed the best way. The result was that the Bio-Weapon could read the passing thoughts of everyone close to it, leaving an echo in those sensitive. A nightmare that would, sooner or later, leave them all mad. To the Bio-Weapon its orders were constantly interrupted by even the most trivial thoughts. From shopping lists to one child who had trouble sleeping on their birthday.

Second was that it had landed on the final resting place of a long dead creature. One that hunted on the world Proxima 3 before humanity made the world a colony. It was a fantastic hunter, adept at using the shadows and environment to it's advantage. In many ways it was the perfect creature for the Weapon's original task, if it wasn't for an aversion to strong light. The very light that humanity is infamous for embracing when designing a city like the colony on Proxima 3.

The result of all this was the fairly aimless wandering of the Bio-Weapon. Cowering from light for no real reason and eating the occasional human without a trace. Unfortunately, however slowly it might be moving, the Weapon was still guided by a creature of intelligence. High in space with technology and guile the Weapons controller was guiding it in the right direction. The spaceport.

Not even the rising of the sun stopped it. By then it had reached the taller buildings of the city, moving from shadow to shadow. Unseen and unknown.

* * *

Jenny pulled herself out of the housing of the landing gear to come face to face with another person. Jenny guessed she was female. Truth be told she had never met someone this alien. Sure the Hath were sort of half fish things that breathed, and talked in, bubbles but she had been programmed with everything known about them in the machine.

This person was completely different, she was a burnt orange colour with brown spots and burning red eyes. 'Who are you, what are you doing?' she asked. On guard and with one hand behind her back. probably going for a weapon.

'I'm Jenny. I was talking with Dulann yesterday while I was going over my shuttle. I saw you were busy and thought you might want some help.' The woman was wearing the same sort of uniform Dulann wore, she also came from he same ship so name dropping was possibly the best way to head off any problems.

'Help... You think I need help? You think I want help?'

Jenny frowned at her. 'Just trying to be friendly. I mean if you like your ship crooked why don't you just say so.'

'So, what have you done in there?'

'Not much, wasn't much I could do. Lots of parts in there are broken.'

The alien woman nodded 'I thought as much. Next time ask before you go blundering in. Who knows how long its going to take to fix them.'

'It wasn't me that broke them!' Jenny half shouted. 'Look I don't know how old this thing is but it looks like the bolts have worn down and sheared in half. When one went the others were all too bad to keep it up and the whole thing folded up on itself. The pistons and hydraulics are all fine.'

There was a long moment while the alien studied her face. 'Alright, I believe you. Let's have a look.' The two of them climbed under the landing gear and began poking around. Jenny pointed out where the pivots had fractured and what she had done. Other than clean the wires and parts up and put them to one side there wasn't much she could do.

The alien was not happy with the problem. 'If it was just the pistons and a few gears we'd be fine, but what's happened here is a mess.'

'We're going to need something to hoist this thing up. Then we're going to need at least a team working on the fittings.' Jenny pointed out.

The woman looked at one of the nooks Jenny had cleared half the junk into. 'Between the two of us we won't need the team but you're right about the hoist. We need it flat.' It was almost a peace offering

'What do you think?' Jenny asked. 'An hour or so to get the lifters here. Another half to put the parts in.'

'Quarter, when the parts are ready. That could be a while.' The alien disagreed picking up one of the broken pivots. 'They don't make these anymore, metal fatigue was always a problem.' She rolled her red eyes, Jenny laughed at that 'I've got a machine shop in the fourth cargo bay. The bay's mostly used for spare parts anyway and a bit cramped but you don't take that much room do you.'

'Helpful when your dodging bullets.' Jenny agreed and the two of them crawled out.

'Na'Feel, Ranger and Chief Mechanic on the Liandra.' she introduced herself.

'Just Jenny, but I like it that way.'

Na'Feel nodded. 'So do I, it's a good name. Come on lets get this job done.' Jenny agreed and then she saw it.

Out of the corner of her eye some thing moved, something terrible and vile. Slime, like evil, dripping from countless misplaced teeth and claws. Jenny whipped her head around for a better look and it... it was gone. Was it ever there? 'Did you see that?'

Jenny pointed at where it was, Na'Feel looked 'See what?'

'Don't know. It was... Must have been imagining it.' Jenny shrugged

Na'Feel carried on inside the green ship. 'Could have been a trick of the light. Human eyes are more sensitive than Narn, we've got a better sense of smell though.'

'I'm not supposed to be human, not sure what I am.'

'I'll settle for friend.' The woman, Jenny guessed her people were called Narn, offered a hand. Jenny shook it

'Friend sounds good.'

* * *

The Bio-Weapon slicked back behind the shadows. Someone had caught a glimpse it, unexpected but not impossible. If they did not see the full horror of what it truly was, or only saw part of it out of the corner of their eye, they would notice it. Impossible not to, making it visible, if only for a second.

'I know you're there.' it was a quiet voice full of fear and rage. The Bio-weapon turned its attention to the creature that had sneaked up behind it.

Minbari, male. It could feel their mind recoiling in revulsion from it's existence but still the Minbari looked at it. Face pale and drawn, a long metal pole in their hand. The Weapon's telepathic abilities, unguided, reached out. A creature of instinct, it's only thought that sent to it by the ship. It's controller examined the information it learnt.

They were an expert. They had known fear, horror almost as bad as what they faced now. Trained in fear, how to use it and defeat it. They too had caught a glimpse of it. Had felt what it was and they had the mind set to see. See past the mental block and witness what was hunting them.

All Rangers did. 'What... what are you.' They asked preparing to attack. Unfortunately for them as well as developing an aversion to light from the local predator the Weapon had also developed a powerful venom. One the predator used to incapacitate it's prey.

Without instruction it spat a gooey mass into the Minbari's face. They stumbled back, staff waving for a moment before falling as the toxin paralysed them. The strong poison was so powerful it slowed and then stopped their heart. Killing them slowly.

Rangers, the controller told it, were dangerous. It was to creep quietly onto the ship and learn what it could.

* * *

David knelt before the small shrine in the corner of his room. It was a empty gesture from a religious perspective but he always found it useful. Back when he first started Ranger training he had a old minbari teaching him meditation. While, eventually, everyone else picked it up David had trouble.

While all his fellow trainees would kneed there David just couldn't find the sense of serenity the others embraced. Frankly he couldn't see the point. Eventually the Minbari took him to one side and admitted something to him. 'Prayer was always a comfort of the religious cast,' he had said. 'We are warriors. I was born Warrior cast. It was my father that was religious. The Rangers were the perfect answer, for they are both. When most pray, I meditate. Not on the meaning of life or myself. I meditate on my future actions, I calm my mind. I, like you, had a frantic mind, rushing from solution to solution without thinking of my actions. Meditation on that calmed me and made me a better warrior.'

These days he tried to start every day with a clear mind, it worked well. Especially when he didn't have room to practice with his pike. Speaking of, the small folded version had been found by Sarah in her shower.

She had woken him, hair dripping and nothing but her cloak over her shoulders. He had learned along time ago not to get on her bad side. Having a folded fighting pike falling on your head while in the shower was a sure way to get on anyone's bad side.

It seemed that a Technomage could have a sense of humour after all, even if it was twisted.

Right, first was the problem Galen put forward. It sounded to him that any option that led to their survival was a long shot. Personally he was all for the option of living a little longer but if he had to die so be it. The duty of a Ranger was to live for The One and then die for The One.

So that was decided then, they needed to organise a full defence. Mobilise the whole Alliance and make a stand. Still the Technomages might try their back up plan, in this case it might do more harm than good.

So what to do, Well if he was going to spread the word there was only one place to go. The home of rumours and legends, Babylon 5. It was closer than Minbar and had connections across the whole Alliance. They had to get started soon if they didn't take off quickly Galen's people would take things into their own hands.

David stood up and left his quarters. Walking down the corridor there was a sudden lurch and everything was straight again. Na'Feel was proving how good she was. He carried on to the bridge where Kip, Dulann and Sarah were talking.

'Finished sneaking in peoples quarters?' Sarah asked with more than a bit of insult. Kip kept his face buried in his work while Dulann just gave him a long cool look.

'How many times. I don't know how it got there.' David held his hands up in surrender.

'Really. I thought you'd be more careful David.' Dulann grinned. Kip laughed into his console and Sarah cast Dulann a black look.

David couldn't tell them he was visited by a Technomage. If they knew they could be blown up at any time they'd never get any work done. Checking their shadows for a bomb that might not even be there. The really annoying thing was Dulann bringing up a rumour from their old ship.

Sure Sarah was pretty, when her attitude didn't get in the way but he couldn't afford to think like that. 'I'm not even taking part in this conversation. How's the repairs coming?'

Kip was the first to answer. 'Looks like Na'Feel's got the power balanced just right. Thruster checks shows everything optimal.'

'Weapons systems are online again. Half the weapons aren't working and the VR rooms dead but at least I can tell that now.' Sarah shrugged. 'I can run the weapons we've got from here but I'm going to need the main sensors through here.'

David winced, that meant that the hologram table would be working flat out on pilot and weapons. While it could hold two, even three, separate holograms at once two at full resolution would be difficult. 'What's the news from the rest of the ship?'

'All's fine. As far as we can tell.' Dulann answered. ' I'm sure as son as we get into space we're going to hit trouble until then...' The minbari stopped and stared straight ahead

'Du...' was as far as David got before his best friend screamed. Clutching his head bone it was like something threw him across the room, collapsing in a heap against the wall.

The three of them reacted quickly and were at his side 'Dulann, Dulann? What's wrong?' He couldn't answer, more terrifying was the scream. It was like something had reached into his soul. The scream rose into a long screech that faded away. Like a man falling into a dark pit but his face was frozen in a twisted horror. Fingers white from their death grip around his head. 'Dulann? Dulann?'

If that wasn't enough the holo-table pulsed to life. 'Captain Martel? Ranger Captain Martel are you there? This is Commander Stoney, We have a problem. A big one.'

With one look to Sarah he knew she would keep an eye on Dulann. He jumped to his feet and half jumped to the console. 'I'm here Commander. We've got our own problems at the moment can it wait.'

The Starport Security Chief just shook his head. 'Not a chance. That young lady that landed just before you, she's missing and Lutran's dead. Some sort of organic poison and get this, he's right next to her ship.'

David looked back at Dulann, still silently screaming. He hadn't had breakfast yet and the problems kept coming.

End Chapter 3


	5. Chapter 4

The Fire Still Burns  
Chapter 4

Authors note  
I've been trying to think of another way to do this. I really don't want to lose a... well "character" like the Bio-Weapon but as we all know it must be killed. So I re-wrote this chapter about four times before finally settling on this outcome. Also looking back on the last to chapters it looks like Jenny's under gone some what of a character-bypass, I'm going to try and change that

* * *

David knew he had to take action. Now. 'Commander, lock down every ship on the planet. Contact Shock'na Arann, get her to set up a blockade. She should keep an eye on her long range sensors for a Hand ship but not try anything. When that's done get here with your best men. We'll work out our next move then.'

'Already done, this isn't my first major disaster.' Stoney grinned before looking away for a moment. 'This isn't good, I just got a report about nine missing people, four of them from my security forces. All last night and in a line that leads right to the spaceport.'

David hung his head. 'Wonderful, can this get any worse?'

'Yes, we've only found parts of them.' Stoney said. 'With Lutran dead you're the ranking Ranger on planet. I'll get the report to you in person.'

Great now David was in a position of authority for this sector, with a command structure so murky that it looked like Pak'ma'ra bath water. 'Na'Feel, Malcolm. I need you both on the bridge, now. Things are not looking good.'

'On my way Captain.' Malcolm responded.

From another speaker there was the sound of heavy machinery collapsing. 'Sprockets!' Na'Feel shouted David guessed something she was working on broke. 'We'll be right there.'

' "We'll"?' He asked himself before turning around to check on Dulann. 'How is he?' no one answered

At first David thought it was just that they didn't think he was talking to them, he opened his mouth to ask again but the words died in his mouth. Both Sarah and Kit were frozen in place, crouched around Dulann. 'Oh give me a brake.. .'

'That's exactly what this is.' A familiar English voice came from his captain's chair. He spun around face to face with the technomage

'Galen, what have you done this time?'

The black cloaked man stood up. 'Made absolutely sure no one can spy on us. You have yet another problem David Martell.'

'I wasn't going to mention her.'

The Technomage shook his head. 'This has nothing to do with my little joke. The thing that killed your friend, I've been watching it. It's more dangerous than you can imagine.'

'I can imagine pretty dark, right now I'm imaging doing it to you.' He pointed at Dulann. 'Is this your fault?'

'No it's just proven something to me. That this creature's telepathic...'

'Creature? What creature?'

Galen shook his head and then talked in a very quiet voice. 'David, I'm sorry. You're being hunted by one of the most dangerous creatures ever created. It's telepathic and a perfect killing machine. Built genetically from the ground up to kill anything that moves. If it reads your mind and relays what you know about me, what I've told you... It could be very bad. For all of us.'

'In other words you've messed up. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse. So your grand plan now is what?'

'Destroy this ship and all on board. Now. It will have to look like an accident, so your power core overloading is the best bet.'

David knew what that would do. 'The explosion would take out the colony. Thousands of people because you made a mistake?'

'It wasn't my mistake. They shouldn't have sent it, it's not exactly built for stealth. More mass murder and chaos. It was designed to kill whole populations.'

David shook his head; 'I'm going to have to stop you.' He reached for his pike and the technomage's staff glowed. As it did David got a bad static shock from the air around him.

David flinched away and got another shock from nothing but air. The shocks got worse the more he tried to move. 'I'm really am sorry David, I've no choice. Goodbye' Desperately he threw himself at Galen, only to be was sent backwards by a massive shock.

Galen shook his head and walked to the door. David had been throw backwards and was pinned by even more shocks to the floor 'We can stop them. Don't...'

'Even if you stop it, they will still be out there. With the knowledge of our existence. This is our last hope.' He opened the door with a familiar kick to the bulk head. It slid open but before he could leave something sent him flying backwards

The blonde woman on the other side of the door smiled as she lowered her leg. 'Hi, what you doing?'

Galen looked up from the control console he was sprawled across. 'How...? No, this is a time dilation field. There is no physical way you can get inside it.'

'I don't know how you turned everyone into statues but it didn't work on me.' She stepped into the bridge. 'So Hi. I'm Jenny and whatever you did to my friends I want you undo it.'

'Don't let him...' David started to warn her but Galen's staff glowed again and a static shock hit her.

David watched as Galen struggled to his feet, almost holding himself up with his staff. 'I'm sorry I have to do this.' he said, dragging himself across the bridge. 'Who ever you are this is nothing to do with you.'

The woman struggled against her own static field, each time she tried Galen flinched.

'Keep fighting.' David shouted and tried to find his feet. However the Technomage was doing all this he was powering it from something inside him. Keeping this time field up and two force fields was taking a lot out of Galen. Too much.' Jenny, fighting shocks, stepped into the doorway. Blocking Galen's way out, not that it mattered. Galen was breathing like a man after a five mile run, bent over his staff like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Slowly his grip slipped and fell to his knees.

It was then David heard it, it sounded like a recording with the power low. 'What is going on?' He looked around and it was Sarah, she was moving incredibly slowly.

Galen slid to the floor, eyes sliding shut as the effort was too much for him. Like an elastic band snapping everything returned to normal. The shocks stopped and David made it back to his feet. 'Thank you.' He nodded to Jenny. 'David Martell.'

'Jenny. I still don't know what he did or who he is.'

'Same here.' Kit mentioned. 'And isn't she the one who killed what's-their-name?'

'Hey.' She half shouted 'I don't kill people.'

David took the Technomage's staff from him. 'Galen here warned me about something killing but didn't know about her. This is a bad day.

'Alright.' He continued, 'lets start from the top. Galen here is a Technomage. He's here to warn me that something's trying to kill us all, the same something that's comatose Dulann and killed Lutran.'

Na'Feel ran on to the bridge. 'Hey, one moment I was walking next to you and then you vanished.' she said to the other woman

Jenny nodded. 'This guy did something, made you freeze. It didn't work on me. I don't know why but I helped David stop him do whatever he did.'

'Na'Feel I want you to seal the bridge off and then the ship.' David told her. 'We need Dulann awake. Kit, Sara. You keep trying to snap him out of it. Jenny; we'll see what we can get out of Galen here.'

* * *

Jenny was actually enjoying this. Not knowing what was happening, learning things about people. It was almost as fun as running. Between them they picked up the strange man in the big black cloak and dropped him into a chair. She took his staff and had a look at it.

David shook the man for a moment before slapping him, hard. Waking him up. 'Ahh good now it's our turn.'

'No.' he croaked and reached for Jenny, at least that's what she thought at first. The metal staff jumped in her hand but not enough to brake her grip on it.

'Ah, ah.' David pushed his hand away and the pull stopped. 'Now you're going to tell us about this Hand and just what they sent here.'

'I can't tell you that, don't you understand? It's telepathic, it can pluck whatever I tell you from your minds. I'd be bringing the full power of the Hand down on us.'

Jenny wasn't one to know the signs of madness, but she knew hearing voices was one of them. So when, just after the strange bald man had finished talking, she heard Dulann. 'holding, can't read... protect you all...'

The stranger was continuing to spin threats 'Hang on, you hear that.'

'Hear what?' the other human woman in the room asked

Jenny listened as hard as she could but it wasn't the right sense 'Dulann. He's telepathic right, like this thing. I don't know about me but I just heard him. He said he's holding but holding...' She trailed off, an idea coming to her. 'He's holding it off. Dulann's fighting it now, giving us a chance to find it.'

'And kill it? the other woman supplied. 'Sounds like a plan.' Jenny didn't like the idea of killing anything but she kept that to herself.

The bald man frowned at her. 'It would need a powerful telepath to do that, or very skilled one, but it can be done.'

'Especially with help.' David looked up. 'The ghosts.'

'The what?' Jenny asked

Na'Feel answered. 'The Captain thinks the last crew is still haunting the ship. Dulann's supposedly contacted them before.' Jenny looked around, at the walls and floor

Out of nowhere a radio cracked. Just about everyone jumped at that. 'Captain, this is Firell. I've just found Tafeek in the corridor. Captain, his lower half's been eaten. I think something's here with us.' as the woman on the other end finished a human came in to the bridge, he had a short beard and looked at her

'Well it's defiantly on board. Na'Feel, seal the ship.' He began giving orders. 'Sarah, break out the PPG's we're going hunting.' The human woman nodded and jumped to work. He turned to the newcomer. 'Malcolm. You and I are going no a monster hunt. As soon as Galen here tells how to find this thing.'

'It's designed to be able to hide. In plain sight. Do you people know how finite your minds truly are.' Galen said

'Speak for yourself' Jenny smiled as she whispered.

'The weapon is so horrible, so vile that every inch of your being will rebel against it. If you are going to hunt it, trust your training as a Ranger. Some legends of these things survived and the Shadows remembered how useful they were. It all depends on how good you were at resisting fear.'

'What do I do?' Jenny asked

'I still don't know you, stay here with Na'Feel and keep an eye on our other guest. Then I'll know if I can trust you.' Sarah returned to his side, with three guns. David took one of them and the one he'd called Malcolm took another. 'It's not that big a ship. If Dulann can hold it off for long enough we've won. Na'Feel keep an eye on everyone, I'll send a healer up if I see one. Can't risk letting this thing know Dulann is.'

The three of them left the room and Jenny looked around. 'Things went well. Mind filling me in on the whole thing?'

'The whole thing? That's a long and difficult story.' Galen smiled at her.

* * *

Galen felt much stronger, a time field followed by two mass static traps. That was draining, but he always did throw too much into his work. Ahh life lessons, always the best teachers.

Speaking of life lessons the young, impossibly blonde, woman was still chipper. Smiling away and poking her head, often literally, into holes in the bulkhead. 'I really want to know; What's happening? and who are these Hand?'

They needed to know just how dangerous this was, With luck they'd understand what he had to do to make sure that their weapon was destroyed 'The Hand, oh if they have any other name it's lost in the depths of time itself. Unlike the Shadows, who's true name is unpronounceable, theirs is just gone. It's said they were a force of pure chaos. Beyond good or evil. They are from a time before those ideas and that is all that is known of them. They warred against the scattering of races that lived back then and won most.'

'Then they were defeated. Cast out of this universe and into the nothingness outside, now they return bringing chaos and destruction.'

'If they were so powerful, how did they lose?' The Narn woman, Na'Feel, asked, looking up from the telepath blocking the Bio-Weapon.

Galen hung his head. 'A people older. A people that represented order. Structure opposed to chance. Everything in the universe happens to a pattern. A pattern that no mortal can see in it's entirety A pattern woven by the Time Lords.'

The Narn jumped back with a startled shout, the young human, Jenny, just frowned. 'But they're gone now.' she said.

'Yes, but their pattern continues. They still can't help us. I'm surprised you know about them.' Humans never really accepted the myth of the Time Lords. Strange given the rumoured interaction. The fact this spoiled child knew about them... she had walked through a time field... She was human wasn't she?

No she was telepathic, still holding his staff. That gave him a link, even with his mental shields up. He reached out through that connection and saw it. An alien mind, he didn't walk through the thoughts of people often but he could tell. There was something in there. Ideas, thought, everything she saw she understood instantly. It wasn't knowledge, or wisdom. She was too young for both. It was pure untapped intelligence. Thoughts moving so fast he couldn't follow them in the maze of firing neurones sparking around her head.

'Who are you?' he asked aloud. She just blinked at him and he got a flash of something.

A man, tall and in a old earth brown pinstripe suit. He was rake thin with a mop of untamed hair on top and he looked sad. Staring off into empty air, lost in memories. Then another flash, she was dying in his arms and he was grieving. Rocking her as if he knew she would come back. Then it was gone.

'I'm Jenny.' She said as if that answered all of the questions he had. It didn't, by a long way. It was right then that the least wanted thing happened.

The door to the bridge opened. He was facing it and still he almost had to force himself to notice. Galen couldn't see it but he could feel something was in the door frame. The technomage could literally sense his mind recoiling from it, like a sore broken tooth half of his mind screamed at him and the other half refused to acknowledge it's existence.

Na'Feel bit back a curse; 'By the Book of G'Kar, it's here!' She scrambled over the bridge to the weapons cabinet. 'Where is it?'

'My staff!' Galen shouted at the girl who was looking, dumbfounded, to one side of the door.

She whispered something. He couldn't make it but that didn't matter.

'Give me my staff, we still have a chance!' he hissed urgently.

'But it's beautiful.' Jenny said, Galen had to blink hard to figure out that's what she had said before.

'What?' Na'Feel gasped

Jenny just stepped towards what she was looking at. With her free hand she reached out and touched... Galen's mind rebelled at what she was doing. This was the most devastating creature in the history of civilisation and she was treating it like a pet. 'You're fantastic... Oh, look at those teeth, just beautiful. Almost perfect.' She openly admired the monster.

Galen touched the connection between them again and, only for an instant, saw what she did and how she saw it. In all its vile, vicious, glory. Somehow this child could see how it was nothing more than an animal. A creature of habit even if it was never created by nature. No more malevolent than a sword or a spear, it carried no malice or hate. Only instinct coded right down in its DNA.

Jenny's own instinct saw that, she even felt a connection to it. As if it held some meaning to her past.

Galen almost missed the warning signs, so caught up in the moment of clarity. Fortunately Jenny, the target, didn't. The creature's whole body shook, as if dredging something from the bottom of it's gut. Faster than anyone could react it spat a thick mass the short distance at Jenny. Somehow she knew it was coming, he could see that much but not how she did it.

Leaning to one side as only a young girl or a true contortionist could Jenny dodged the venom. 'No, you don't have to do this...' she tried to reason with it. It was pointless, you can't reason with a bullet but Galen didn't dare share that thought with her. Distracting her now would be her death.

Two PPG rounds struck the Bio-Weapon, flash burning flesh and slime. By moving Jenny had given Na'Feel a clear shot. Another two and through Jenny Galen could tell one had gone wide. The room filled with with a hiss and the acid smell of rancid, burnt, meat

Jenny shouted for Na'Feel to stop but the Narn Ranger didn't. She fired round after round. Galen knew that in spite of herself Jenny was going to try and save the creature and moved. Throwing himself at the girl, stopping her from doing the same thing in front of the Bio-Weapon, he took her to the ground.

'It wouldn't return the favour.' He whispered as finally the Narn stopped firing. The stench on the bridge was almost unbearable and it was dead.

Fearless Jenny threw him off and ran for the carcass's side. 'You didn't have to kill it.' she growled, as if personally offended.

Now that it was dead Galen could see it, not that he wanted to. It looked like someone had crossed an octopus with a wolf and a spider and then covered it in green, dripping, puss. There were also the eyes of a fly and what looked like foot long talons and yard long teeth.

'It was it or us.' Na'Feel declared, PPG still pointed at the steaming corpse. 'What are you so upset about, I just saved your life.'

'By killing something?' Jenny asked in a hollow voice.

End Chapter 4

Authors note.

I promised several reviewers that I wouldn't make Jenny some sort of Doctor-light character, so this Chapter I've come close to braking that promise. But I haven't broken it yet. If she suddenly started spewing exposition and then astonishingly pulled a plan out of her hair using macgyver like wisdom, a toothbrush and a sonic screwdriver she built out of a kettle and a peace of string I might be accused of Doctor like behaviour.


	6. Chapter 5

The Fire Still Burns  
Chapter 5

Authors note

I was thinking of dragging this one on. Going all the way to Babylon 5 or even the Minbari Homeworld but for the life of me I couldn't think how to get it done... So I decided to end it here and set up the sequel. It's a much more natural ending.

* * *

David was meditating in his cabin. Or at least he was trying to. With all that was going on it was difficult to find his centre. He was still de-facto commander of the planet based Rangers. Galen had vanished just after Na'Feel had killed the creature and the young woman spent most of her time sitting in the same room as it. whatever she was thinking was beyond him. Same with just who she was.

'I'm a bit rusty my self but surely this is not the correct meditation technique.' Dulann said from the doorway behind David

'Is there something you wanted or are you just defying doctors orders on priceable now?' the captain replied

'My wounds are not physical. I only need time, Firell knows that there is nothing she can do for me at the moment. I am more concerned...'

'... about me?'

'No, about her. Jenny still refuses to leave the corpse.' Dulann came in and knelt beside David. 'Her mind is quite unlike any I have encountered.'

Yeah, she's crazy alright. According to the technomage that's the only way she could have seen it. According to Na'feel she called it beautiful, If it looks like that dead with half it's face burnt off I can't imagine it alive.'

Dulann nodded for a moment. 'What if it was beautiful, only not how we would see it? Would that still make her crazy.'

'Yes. It would.' David frowned at his friend

'Then ask yourself, is that a bad thing? Think about it, what is beauty?'

'In the eye of the beholder.' David quoted and then thought about it. 'I don't even want to think what that say's about her.'

Dulann just looked back to the shine in the wall. 'Beauty is form and function. As such anything that fulfils it's job can be beautiful. The creature was a beautiful killing machine, I saw into it's mind. What terrified me was not the evil, for it had non or the darkness. It was simply a killer without morals to guide it or emotion. It existed only to kill and kill well.'

'Your saying that made it beautiful.'

'No I'm saying that made it amoral. We see it as evil because it killed and we look for evil to fight. She saw it's form, the beauty of its task and is now grieving for it.'

'She still sees the beauty in things. That makes a... sort of sense. Like a kid.'

'I think she is a lot younger that we first thought.' Dulann said. David had to admit he was beginning to think the same.

* * *

Jenny looked at the burnt body. They had dragged it out of the cramped ship and got it undercover outside The smoke had long since stopped and there was noting left and only one thing came to mind. How much it was like her.

Jenny had been created as a warrior. A child of the machine, programmed with battle knowledge and instinct. It was her duty to fight and die in the war with the Hath, to follow orders until she died. Now what was she? Jenny never knew how comforting having her whole future prepared was.

Bringing her knees up to her chest Jenny hugged her legs close. The future, who she was and what she could do. All questions and no answers, he had them. Her father had all the answers she needed and all the questions she had yet to ask.

'Hello.' It was Na'Feel, the Narn woman didn't have a gun in her hand but Jenny couldn't help judge.

'Hello.' Jenny put a brave face on it but kept her knees close.

'I'm... believe it or not I do understand. The book of G'Kar tells us that all life is important.'

'The what?' Jenny asked

'The book of G'kar. It's the work of a great man, a visionary. It teaches us that our in our search for truth its the journey that is important. That is it's most important message. It tells us that those we meet while travelling enrich us, that we teach each other.'

'That makes sense, so how do you understand killing things... because I'm not sure I do?' Jenny admitted

Na'Feel looked at her. 'What can we learn from what we kill? Other than not to do it again.'

'The thing... the thing is I know that thing. I know what it is I mean. It's a killer, a warrior. That's all it ever was or could ever be. I was like it once, not that long ago So how am I so different?'

Na'Feel put an arm around her. 'Jenny, look at yourself. Like you said it couldn't change what it was, it was either it or all of us. I'm not happy I did it I just know I had to. You see '

'It's okay, I forgive you.'

'Thank you.' Na'Feel acknowledged and stood up. 'Now I still need help with that landing strut.'

It wasn't much longer, when they had finally finished, that Jenny found herself walking back to see the body. She couldn't get it out of her head, how similar it was to her own creation.

Sat there and staring at the corpse Jenny was seriously confused. She was like it a warrior and a killer. That was what she had been created for just like it but something was wrong with her. Desperately wrong.

The sound of a heavy staff thudded against the landing deck behind her. 'Why does the Universe give us riddles?'

Jenny looked up but not around. 'What?'

'Riddles. The universe is full of them. Every answer leads to a bigger question so why give us them in the first place?' The technomage asked again.

Jenny shrugged. 'I don't know, answers aren't as important as the journey I guess.'

Galen nodded for a moment. 'You're a Time Lady.'

'My father is a Time Lord. But I don't know what that means and I don't know what I am.'

'You're a riddle. Time Lords and Ladies, no one knows truly how old they are or where they came from. Just that they were.'

Jenny stood up and faced him. 'Were. Father said there was a war, a terrible war.'

'There was, only one who witnessed it survived. The last Time Lord known as the Oncoming Storm.'

'The Doctor?' She asked feeling the hairs on the back of her neck raising.

'That is what he calls himself. Your father?'

Jenny nodded, then something clicked. 'How do you know about it if there was only one survivor?'

Galen closed his eyes 'You can't help but notice. All of creation was in turmoil, time quakes causing reality itself to crack at the edges. People think we Technomages fled to hide from the Shadow war, we hid from the time war. We ran and pulled whole worlds over our heads to escape. Even now aftershocks, like bad echoes of half forgotten nightmares, ripple unseen across consequences of fate.' He pointed at the body. 'The Hand, those that created this, are one such ripple. If they knew you existed...'

'You would have to kill me?' Jenny asked curiously.

Galen slowly shook his head. 'No. If the Doctor is still around there is nowhere they can hide. He will stop them as you would. It's part of you, it is you.'

'What do you mean.' She asked

'Your attitude to that things murder. It was my first clue. Time Lords are so beyond violence that it is genetic. Every cell in your body screamed out in outrage at it's death. It was beyond empathy, I saw you.'

Jenny shook her head. 'No. I was an accident. Created as a warrior and a solider, they didn't know Father wasn't human.'

'You don't understand the Doctor, or Time Lords. Everything he does is part of a vast tapestry. A pattern of events like a spiders web catching people and events and weaving them together into what you would call fate.'

Jenny shook her head. 'He left me, he didn't know I would come back to life...'

'I wouldn't be so sure about that.'

It felt like her world, as it was collapsed. 'But he loves me, He... I'm his daughter. He wouldn't abandon me like this.' She felt tears, real tears, in her eyes. plunging everything she saw under water.

'Of course he wouldn't. No Father could.' Galen soothed. 'He just gave you a riddle.'

'What?' Jenny ran the discussion back through her mind. 'A riddle, a question.' she repeated almost shocked

'And a journey. You are incredibly lucky Jenny, the Doctor has given you a life and then a purpose all at once.'

'The things I'll see while looking. What I'll learn finding him...' she trailed off in wonder.

Galen smiled and the held one hand up. 'But I warn you. He has enemies, they would not hesitate to use you against him.'

'Then I won't tell them. Anyone unless it's vitally important. 'Thank you Galen.' Instinctively Jenny kissed his cheek and gave him a hug.

The bald man uncomfortably took her by the shoulders and eased her away. 'No, Thank you for showing an old man that there is still wonder and hope out there.'

Jenny nodded and as soon as she had the idea jumped for her shuttle.

* * *

Dulann watched the blonde woman jump and dash for the shuttle. The black cloaked Technomage watched her with a slight smile. Dulann walked up to him. 'What was that all about.'

'Nothing, just giving her something I never got. I proper send off.' Galen said and waved to her as the shuttle began to shudder

'She... she can't just...' with another shudder and a whine the tiny ship jerked back and took off, aiming for space.

'She can and just has. Good luck Jenny. I'll see you yesterday.' Galen said oddly.

Dulann looked at the strange man. 'What?'

'It's sort of an in joke. You weren't meant to get it.' Then with a sigh he handed his black staff over to Dulann. 'Here I don't need it anymore. Make sure it gets back to its owner, he's looking for it somewhere around here.'

He could have sworn he only took his eyes off the Technomage for a instant but looking back he was nowhere to be seen. Without his staff he was supposed to be almost powerless, not disappear at will. The only other person Dulann could see was a tallish thin human

He wore a long light brow coat, had a head full of spiky brown hair and was walking to a blue box off to one side.

End The Fire Still Burns

Authors note

The sequel. Coming soon, Jenny meets Buffy. Buffy meets Jenny.


End file.
